Shuttle-positioning means for filling-replenishing looms.



No. 787,469. 7 PATENTED APR. 18, 1 905. O. F. ROPERf SHUTTLE POSITIONING MEANS FOR FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.26,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 787,469. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. F. ROPER.

SHUTTLE POSITIONING MEANS FOR FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS.

\ APPLICATION FILED 00126 904,

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

SHUTTLE-POSITIONING MEANS FOR FlLLlNG-REPLENISHING LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,469, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed October 26. 1904. Serial No. 230-012.

To all whom it inrry concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. ROPER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident'of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shuttle-Positioning Means for Filling-Replenishing Looms, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to that type of loom wherein the running shuttle is provided automatically at the proper time with a fresh supply of filling, such replenishment being effected when the shuttle is boxed. The proper operation of the replenishing mechanism depends for its accuracy upon a certain definite relation as to position between the shuttle in the shuttle-box and the incoming supply of filling, failure of attainment of such relationship causing wholly unnecessary and injurious wear and tear as well as serious breakage of parts of the apparatus. In the development of looms of this automatic type means have been devised and used with success to prevent the operation of the replenishing mechanism when called for if the shuttle either fails to reach or passes beyond the proper definite position in the shuttle-box. Such a device retards filling replenishment until the shuttle is at a subsequent entry into the shuttle-box in the proper position; but such retardation restricts the output of the loom to a greater or less extent, according to circumstances. More recently highly-eflicient means have been devised to assume positive control of and transfer the fresh filling-supply (such as a filling-carrier) from a feeder to the shuttle and to continuously maintain such control until the supply of filling is inserted in the holding means therefor, in the shuttle. The shuttle is thus caused to move when necessary into proper receiving position, a slight longitudinal movement in one direction or another taking place to effect the desired object. The uniform positioning of the shuttle in the shuttle-box is thus insured whenever filling replenishment occurs and obviates any delayed action of the replenishing mechanism, the positioning of the shuttle being effected by or through the incoming filling-carrier. Such an apparatus forms the subject matter of United States Patent No. 7 61,629, dated May 31, 190 wherein the practical reasons for causing the shuttle to move into correct position to receive the filling-carrier instead of permitting movement of the latter are clearly set forth at length and need not be repeated herein.

My present invention has for its object the production of means to positively and automatically move the shuttle when necessary into proper receiving position entirely independently of the incoming filling-carrier, the positioning being effected even though the shuttle if left to itself would be considerably out of correct position. No delay in replenishment takes place, and no action of the incoming filling-carrier is required to position the shuttle. so that a more continuous and uniform operation of the loom is secured, and my invention can be used in connection with means for positively controlling the fillingcarrier throughout transfer, as in the patent referred to, or with other suitable transferring means, inasmuch as with an accuratelypositioned shuttle any tendency to move l0ngi tudinally the incoming filling-carrier is reduced to a minimum.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification, and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a portion of the lay of an automatic filling-replenishing loom with the replenishing shuttle-box, one practical embodiment of my present invention being applied thereto, the parts being shown in normal condition. Fig. 2 is a righthand side elevation and partial transverse section of a sufiicient portion of an automatic filling-replenishing loom to be understood, showing my invention in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the part of the apparatus shownin Fig. 1. Fig. eisaview similar to Fig. 1, partly broken out, and showing the shuttle in the box and accurately positioned by the positioning means. Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation and partial longitudinal section of the shuttle, showing the part thereof with which the positioning means cooperates; and Fig. 6 is perspective view, detached, of a part of the positioning means, to be referred to.

The term filling-carrier is used herein to include comprehensively a bobbin, copskewer, or any suitable carrier upon which the supply of filling is spun or wound in any usual manner and adapted to be inserted in a shuttle so constructed and arranged that when the supply of filling is inserted therein the filling-thread will be automatically threaded into the eye of the shuttle to be delivered therefrom in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art.

The lay l, slotted at 2 below one of the shuttle-boxes to permit escape of a filling-carrier when ejected from the automatically selfthreading shuttle 3, Fig. 4, by the incoming fresh filling-carrier, the stand 4, secured to the breast-beam 5 near one end thereof and having a filling-feeder rotatably mounted thereon to overhang the shuttle-box 7 when the lay is fully forward, (the filling-feeder consisting, essentially,of two connected parallel disks,one of which, as 8, is shown in Fig. 2,) and the front binder 6 may be and are all of wellknown construction and operate substantially as in United States Patent No. 529,940, save that herein 1 have shown my invention as applied to a front-binder loom.

The rocking arm or transferrer 10, fulcrumed on the fixed horizontal stud 9, Fig. 2, and extended between the disks of the feed er to transfer a filling-carrier 11 from the feeder to the shuttle, the lateral arm 12, rigidly secured to the transferrer and having a downturned notched end 13 to engage the tip of the filling-carrier, and the depending end 14 of the transferrer. having operatively connected with it a dog 15 to be engaged by the hunter 16 on the lay to effect the transferring operation, may in general be all substantially as shown and described in Patent No. 529,940.

Intermittent rotative movement of the feeder may be effected by any suitable mechanism, the same being well known and forming no part of my present invention.

The cylindrical head of the filling-carrier is provided with annular enlargements or projections 17, Fig. 4, which in actual practice are rings fitting the head and adapted to enter upright notches or recesses 18 in the inner faces of the yielding or spring holdingjaws 19, mounted in one end of the opening 20 of the shuttle 3, (see also Fig. 5,) all as clearly described in Patent No. 761,629. When the rings enter and are seated in the notches, the jaws properly grasp and accurately hold the filling-carrier in the shuttle; but if the rings of an incoming filling-carrier come between the notches the jaws cannot firmly grasp the filling-carrier, and the latter tends to tip or tilt, with certain ensuing damage. For this and other reasons set forth in said patent it is of the greatest importance that the shuttle be in proper receptive position in the shuttle-box when a fresh fillingcarrier is to be inserted, and I will now describe my novel means for insuring such proper positioning of the shuttle when filling replenishment is effected.

The fixed wall 21 of the replenishing shuttlebox 7 (and which is the back wall in a frontbinder loom. such as is herein illustrated) has an elongated aperture 22 near its outer end, the ends of the aperture being oppositely beveled, as at 23 24, (clearly shownin Fig. 4,) the ends converging toward the interior of the shuttle-box. The adjacent side wall'of the shuttle 3 in the present embodiment of my invention is recessed at 25 to receive a small metallic plate 26, (see Fig. 5,) having a laterally-projecting lug 27, which, however, does not extend beyond the side wall, said lug extending vertically from the top to the bottom of the recess when the shuttle is in running position. Said plate 26 is firmly secured in place, as by a screw 28, and the recess and lug are shown as near the thread-delivering end of the shuttle, so that when the latter is in the shuttle-box the lug and recess will be opposite the aperture 22, as shown in Fig. 4. Near its inner end the box-wall 21 is provided with two rearwardly-extended ears 29, located one above the other (see Fig. 2) and bored to receive an upright pin or' stud 30, on which is fulcrumed a rocker forming a part of the shuttle-positioning means. The rocker is made asa casting, and is shown separately in Fig. 6, it comprising an upright body portion 31 and oppositely-extended arms 32 33, extended from the back of the body, the upright face of the latter toward the center of the loom having elongated lips 34 35 at its front and rear edges. A hole 36 in the casting between the arms receives thev fulcrum-pin 30, the arm 33 swinging between the cars 29 and quite close to the box-wall, while the arm 32 projects rearwardly. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

Referring to Fig. 1,' it will be seen that when the positioning means is in normal position the broader lip 34 projects to the left beyond the lip 35 and is then in position to be engaged by the actuator, to be described, on the beat up of the lay when filling replenishment is to be eifected. The arm 33 is horizontally slotted at 33 to receive one end of an'elongated positioning member or finger 37, pivoted to the arm at 38 and extended behind the box-wall 21 to the outer end of the aperture 22, the free end of the finger being inturned at 39 into said aperture and having an inclined face 40, adapted to cooperate with the beveled end 24, as shown in Fig. 1. A

leaf-spring s bears atits free end on the back of said finger near its free end and tends to keep the face 40 against the adjacent end of the aperture 22 and also to push the finger end 39 into the aperture whenthe positioning means is operated. The opposite arm 32 of the rocker is also slotted at 32 but higher than the slot 33 to receive the end of a second shuttle-positioning member or finger 41, pivoted to the arm at 42 and bent at 43 so that its outer end will rest upon the top of finger 37 (see Fig. 3) and slide thereon, the extremity of the finger 41 being also inturned at 44 to enter the aperture in the box-wall. Said end 44 has an inclined face 45, adapted to rest normally upon the beveled end 23 of the aperture, as shown in Fig. l, and from an inspection of said Fig. 1 it will be seen that the beveled ends act to maintain the finger ends out of the shuttle-path under normal conditions. A spring .9 acts upon the free end of the finger 41, similarly to the action of spring .9 upon the finger 37, and the springs may be separate or united to a common base, as shown in Fig. 3, the base being secured to a boss 46 on the box-wall, the fingers sliding along the springs when the mechanism is in operation. A spiral spring 8 is attached at one end tothe rocker-arm 33, and at its other end it is secured to a lug 47 on the box-wall, said spring maintaining the rocker in normal position (shown in Fig. l) and returning it and the positioning-fingers to such position after cooperation of the latter with the shuttle. \Nhen the rocker is turned, as shown in Fig. 4, the finger 37 is moved inward and finger 41 outward, so that their inturned ends slide down off the beveled ends of the aperture and through the latter into the path of the lug 27 on the shuttle under the influence of the springs s and 8X, the finger ends moving toward each other a predetermined distance into the position shown in Fig. 4. The operative movement of the fingers begins on the forward beat of the lay, and their ends enter the recess in the side of the shuttle at opposite sides of the lug 27 when the shuttle is stopped in the box, and if the shuttle is too far out the end 44 of finger 41 acts upon the lug and pushes the shuttle into proper position. (in the other hand, if the shuttle is too far in the box the end 39 of finger 37 engages the other side of the lug 27 and pulls the shuttle toward the mouth of the box into proper position, it being understood that proper positionis reached when the notches of the holding-jaws 18 are in proper position to receive the rings 17 of an incoming filling-carrier. The shuttle is thus moved longitudinally in either direction by or through the cooperation of the fingers with the lug 27 whenever the shuttle is not in accurate receptive position in the box. Such position is shown in Fig. 4, the fingers having completed their movement and coopcrating at their inturned ends with opposite sides of the lug.

If the shuttle stops in proper position, it will be obvious that the fingers are not required to do any work, but by their action insure the maintenance of such position.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the actuator for the positioning means will be described, said actuator being shown as a long arm 48, fulcrumed on the inner end of the stud 9, on which the transferrer' rocks, said arm extending behind the filling-feeder and having its tapered extremity 49 projecting above the cover-plate 50 of the shuttle-box 7. This tapered portion 49 has a bunter 51 extended laterally therefrom and movable into the path of the rocker-lip 34 when the rear end of the actuator is depressed, so that as the lay heats up the lip will wipe over the bunter and will thereby turn the rocker into the position shown in Fig. 4, operating the shuttle-posi tioning fingers, as has been described. At its front end the actuator has adjustably secured to it by a bolt 52 an extension 53, having a cam-surface 54, over which travels a stud or pin 55, projecting laterally from an upturned arm 56, fast on the rock-shaftd'. This rockshaft controls the time of operation of the filling-replenishing mechanism in well-known manner, and when it is turned in the direction 5 of arrow 57, Fig. 1, (to permit the dog 15 to move into the path of the bunter 16 on the lay,) the stud 55 travels along the cam-surface 54 and under a rather stifi leaf-spring s on the extension and above the front end. of the cam-surface. The stud acts through the spring 8 to tilt the actuator 48 on its fulcrum 9, depressing its rear end 49 and bringing the hunter 51 into operative position to swing the rocker 31 on its fulcrum 30, and thereby operate the shuttle-positioning means as the lay completes its forward movement. As the lay swings forward any slight lifting of the rear end of the actuator as the lip 34 wipes over the bunter 51 is permitted by the yield of the spring 8 preventing any strain or breakage of parts. When the lay goes back after filling replenishment has been effected, the rock-shaft (Z returns to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the stud 55, traveling over the cam-surface 54, returns the actuator 48 to normal position.

By means of the apparatus herein described the proper positioning of the shuttle is insured, so that the holding-jaws thereof are accurately placed positively and absolutely to receive the annular projections or rings of the incoming filling-carrier, the positioning of the shuttle when necessary being efiected independently of the filling-carrier or the holding-jaws.

My invention is not restricted to the construction and arrangement herein shown and described as one practical embodiment thereof, for the same may be varied or modified in different particulars by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an organized loom, in combination, a lay having a sh Little-box, a shuttle. mechanism dependent for its proper operation upon a definite position of the shuttle in the shuttlebox, and separate means to positively engage and if necessary move the shuttle longitudinally in either direction into such position when said mechanism is brought into operation.

2. In an organized loom, in combination, a lay having a sh uttle-box, a shuttle, mechanism dependent for its proper operation upon a definite position of the shuttle in the shuttlebox, and means carried by the lay to positively and automatically move the shuttle, if necessary. in either direction longitudinally to such definite position when said mechanism is brought into operation.

3. An organized loom having a lay provided with a shuttle-box, and a shuttle, combined with positioning means carried by the lay and acting automatically when a change occurs in the normal operation of the loom to positively engage and if necessary move the shuttle in either direction to a definite position in the shuttle-box.

4. The combination in an organized loom provided with mechanism to automatically insert a filling-carrier in the running shuttle, of means acting independently of the incoming filling-carrier to positively move the shuttle when necessary in either direction longitudinally into proper position to receive it.

5. An organizedloom havingalay provided with a shuttle box, an automatically selfthreading shuttle, and mechanism to automatically insert a filling-carrier therein, combined with means acting independently of the incoming filling-carrier to engage the shuttle and when necessary move the same in either direction in the shuttle-box into proper position to receive such filling-carrier.

6. In an organized loom, means to sustain a reserve filling-carrier, means to engage and move it from its position of rest into the shuttle, a shuttle having means to engage and hold the filling-carrier when inserted therein, and means acting when necessary to move the shuttle in either direction to proper receiving position prior to cooperation of the incoming filling-carrier and the holding means therefor.

7. An organized loom having an intermittingly-movable feeder to support reserve filling-carriers, a running shuttle having notched holding-jaws, a transferrer to transfer a filling-carrier from the feeder to the jaws in the shuttle, combined with means independent of the shuttle and the transferrer and acting at the time of transfer to positively engage the shuttle and if necessary move it longitudinally in either direction to insure a uniform receiving position'thereot' in the shuttle-box.

8. The combination in an organized loom of a shuttle having notched jaws to hold a filling-carrier, a filling-carrier the head whereof is provided with annular projections to enter said notches, a transferrer to convey the filling-carrier into the notched jaws, and separate means to act upon the shuttle and when necessary move it in either direction to properly position the jaws 'to receive the projections of the incoming filling-carrier.

9. In an organized loom, a shuttle, a lay having a shuttle-box, means mounted thereon to engage and insure the proper positioning of the shuttle to receive an incoming filling-carrier, automatic mechanism to insert a fillingcarrier in the shuttle, and an actuator for the shuttle-positioning means, governed by the operation of the replenishing mechanism.

10. The combination in an organized loom provided with mechanism to automatically insert a filling-carrier in the running shuttle, and a shuttle, of means, including two members movable a predetermined distance in opposite directions, to positively engage and insure a definite position of the shuttle in the shuttle-box, and an actuator for said means governed by or through said mechanism.

11. The combination in an organized loom provided with mechanism to automaticallyinsert a filling-carrier in the running shuttle, and a shuttlehaving a lug thereon, of shuttlepositioning means, including two members movable toward each other to cooperate with opposite sides of the lug and thereby definitely position the shuttle in the shuttle-box, and an actuator for said means, operative automatically in advance of the insertion of a filling-carrier into the shuttle.

12. In an organized loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with an apertured wall, ashnttle, automatic filling-replenishing mechanism, and means to enter the aperture in the box-wall and engage the shuttle and when necessary move it in either direction into proper position for filling replenishment.

13. In an organized loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with an apertured wall, a shuttle, automatic filling-replenishing mechanism and shuttle-positioning means, including two oppositely-movable members adapted to enter the aperture in the box-wall and engage the shuttle, and move the same when necessary in either direction into proper position for filling replenishment.

14. In an organized loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with an apertured wall, ashnttle, automatic filling-replenishing mechanism, shuttle-positioning means to enter the aperture in the box wall and engage the shuttle, and when necessary move it longitudinally in either direction, to insure its proper position fol-filling replenishment, and

an instrumentality to retract said means from cooperation with the shuttle prior to ejection thereof from the shuttle-box.

15. In an organized loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with a fixed wall having an elongated aperture, the ends of the aperture being oppositely beveled. a shuttle having a lug on the side adjacent said wall, automatic fillingreplenishing mechanism, and shuttle-positioning means including two members movable toward each other and adapted to project through the aperture and engage opposite sides of the lug on the shuttle, to accurately position the shuttle for filling replenishment, the beveled ends of the aperture directing the said movable members into and out of operative position.

16. In an organized loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with an apertured Wall, a shuttle having a lug on the side adjacent thereto, automatic filling-replenishing mechanism, a rocker mounted on the box-wall and having oppositely-extended arms, shuttle-positioning fingers fulcruined on the arms and having their free ends inturned to enter the aperture, a spring to act through the rocker and normally maintain the ends of the fingers separated and out of the shuttle-path, and an actuator governed by the operation of the replenishing mechanism and adapted to swing said rocker and thereby move the ends of the fingers toward each other into engagement with opposite sides of the lug on the shuttle, to accurately position the latter when in the shuttle-box for replenishment of filling.

17. In an organized loom, a lay having a sh Little-box thereon provided with a fixed wall having an elongated aperture oppositely beveled at its ends, a shuttle having a recess in its adjacent sidewall, and a lug in the recess,

shuttle-positioning fingers movable along the outer face of the box-wall and having their ends inturned to project into the aperture, each end having an inclined face to normally rest on the adjacent bevel of the aperture, automatic means to move the fingers oppositely and cause their inturned end to slide over the said beveled ends of the aperture and through the latter to engage the opposite sides of the lug on the shuttleand thereby insure the definite positioning of the shuttle in the box, reverse movement of the fingers releasing the shuttle and causing the inclined faces of the finger ends to slide along the beveled ends of the aperture outof the shuttle-path,and means to effect such reverse movement of the fingers.

18. The combination,in an organized loom, of a lay provided with a shuttle-box having an apertured wall, a shuttle having notched holding-jaws, a filling-carrier having its head provided with annular projections to enter the notches of the jaws, a transferrer to transfer the filling-carrier to the holding-jaws, means, including a rock-shaft, to control the operation of the transferrer, shuttle-positioning means, including fingers movable through the aperture in the box-Wall to engage the shuttle and positively move the same longitudinally in either direction into position to receive the incoming filling-carrier,-and an actuator for the shuttle-positioning means, governed as to its operation by the said rockshaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. ROPER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE OTIS DRAPER, ERNEST W. WooD. 

